Luminous indicator



March 2, 1937., c. M. ANDRES 2,072,439

LUMINOUS INDICATR Filed April- 11,` 1936 coLoR'Eo comme 'WHITE coATlNG(2me, W M INVENTOR BY ATTQRNEY' UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE LUMINOUS INDICATOR charles Michael Andres, Yonkers, N. Y.,assigner to Otis Elevator Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New Jersey Application April 1l, 1936, Serial No. 73,885

. 2 Claims.

desirable that any character or symbol be legible Y only when theindicator for illuminated.

One feature of the invention is the provision of a light transmittingmaterial which presents a selected color eiect when backed by an activesource of light, and a different color effect when said source is notlighted.

which it is used is A second feature is the provision of a lighttransmitting material which may be made to produce any one of a varietyof different color effects.

A third feature is the provision of a light transmitting material whichclearly displays characters or symbols when backed by an active sourceof illumination but not otherwise.

A fourth feature of the invention lies in the provision of a lighttransmitting material which is cheap to manufacture.

-Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the specification and appended claims.

The invention will be described by way of illustration as applied to ahall lantern for n elevator.

In the drawing: l

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an elevator hall lantern havingglass enclosures embodying thev invention;

40 Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of Figure 1,

with parts in section;

Figure 3 is an enlargedY end view of one of the enclosures; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 4-4 ofFigure 1.

Referring to the drawing, a hall lantern I0 is shown as provided with ahousing i I having upper and lower compartments I2 and I4. Housing IIcomprises a base I5 having ring portions I6 extending outwardlytherefrom. Each compartment is provided with a lamp Il. The lampsproject into the compartments through apertures I8 formed in base I5.The lamps are mounted 3 on a bracket 20 secured to the rear surface ofthe base. A bell 2|, preferably of the single stroke type for renderingan audible signal, may also Vbe mounted on the bracket. When the lanternis mounted in the elevator corridor the bracket and parts thereon areconcealed within the corridor wall.

Each compartment I2 and I4 is provided with a cylindrical enclosure 22having an opening 23, as illustrated in Figure 3. Enclosure 22 ispreferably made of transparent or translucent glass although othermaterials may be utilized. The enclosures are assembled inside the ringportions I6 of the housing with the openings 23 thereof positionedadjacent base I5. Removable cover plates 24 are provided at the top andat the bottom of the housing so that the enclosures may be insertedtherein. An arrow 25 is formed on each of the enclosures. The enclosuresare as sembled in the housing with the arrow of ther upper enclosurepointing in an upward direction and with the arrow of the lowerenclosure pointing in a downward direction. When the lantern ispositioned in the elevator corridor the enclosures are visible from alldirections in .the corridor.

It is preferred that the enclosures 22 appear white in color when thelantern is not lighted, with the enclosure for the upper compartmentdisplaying a green color when the upper com- I partment lamp is lightedand the enclosure for the lower compartment displaying a red color whenthe lamp for that compartmentis lighted. Such an arrangement will bedescribed. Referring to Figure 4, which is a fragmental View in crosssection of a portion of the enclosure for the upper compartment, theinner surface 25 may be roughened by sand blasting or any other suitablemethod. A depression the shape of an arrow 25 is yformed in surface 26.A coat 30 of' white e'namel isapplied to surface 26, several heavy coats28` of white enamel being applied to the area of arrow 25 to render thearrow opaque. A coat 3| of green enamel is then applied over the coat ofWhite enamel for the enclosure for the upper compartment. Red enamel isapplied for the coat 3l for the enclosure for the lower compartmentinstead of green enamel. The enamels used preferably are of a pyroxylinlacquer base colored with pigments and are sprayed on. Each coat ofenamel is baked for thirty minutes at Fahrenheit between applications.The coat 3|! of white enamel is of an applied density .so thatillumination is not materially reduced when the lantern is lighted andso that the coat 3l of green or red enamel is not noticeably apparentciof through the glass when the lantern is not i1- luminated.

Assuming the lantern to be'viewed from the outside, when lamp I1 forupper compartment i2 is illuminated the upper enclosure 22 appears greenwith; its arrow 24 appearing distinctly darker and pointing in an upwarddirection. The lower enclosure 22 when illuminated by its respectivelamp l1 appears red with its arrow 24 appearing distinctly darker andpointing in a downward direction. The distribution of light is even overthe entire surfaces of the enclosures when the lantern is illuminated.In the absence of light in both the upper and lower compartments, theupper and lower enclosures present a milk white appearance with theirrespective arrows barely discernible.

The invention is applicable to various types of indicators, includingthose in which no character or symbol is displayed. The lighttransmitting medium may be of any shape which conforms to the design ofthe indicator. Other color combinations than those specificallydescribed may be employed.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and. manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithout departing from the scope thereof,

it is intended that all matter contained in the above description orshown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpretedas illustrativeand not in a limiting sense. y

What is claimed is:-

1. In a luminous indicator, a light transmit ting member having acovering of white trans lucent paint appliedto its inner surface, aportion of said covering being thicker than the Are maini'ng portion torender it opaque, one oi' said portions being in the form of a selectedsymbol, a covering of translucent paint of a diierent color applied tothe rst named covering, said paints being of a density such that whensaid indicator is not illuminated, said member appears white Withoutdisplaying-said symbol, and when said indicator is illuminated, one ofsaid por tions appears a different color displaying smd symbol.

2. In a luminous indicator, a light transmitting member having acovering of white translucent paint applied to its inner surface, aportion of said covering in the form of a selected symbol being thickerthan the remainder to render it opaque, a covering of translucent paintof a different color applied to the rst named covu ering, said paintsbeing of a density such that when said indicator is not illuminated,said member appears White without displaying said symbol, and when saidindicator is illuminated, said, member appears a diierent color and saidsymbol is displayed.

CHARLES MICHAEL ANDRES.

